A MAGNIFICENT CATASTROPHE The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Presidential Campaign

Mudslinging. Half-truths. Outright lies. Political maneuvering. Promises made and not kept. Welcome to the world of presidential-election politics. But this was in 1800, not 2008. The race between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams is considered to be the beginning of modern presidential campaigning and the two-party system we still use today. This book is informative and, in the unabridged form, packed with details. That means even more of the success of the audio rests with the narrator. Henry Strozier has the kind of voice you'd expect in a TV documentary. It's emotive without being artificial, steady without being monotonous. He also varies the pacing to emphasize the major points. This variety is especially important during the detailed discussion of the jockeying for electoral votes. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]